The Coffee Coaster

Gang-Tackling the 900# Gorilla

Brian Wright — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:20:59 GMT

Or how to achieve inner peace by adroitly subduing the rampaging beast in our collective living room

Let's assume we're simply an ordinary bunch of middle-aged, middle-class Americans living in Michigan, we go to work—well, we used to go to work—, we may have children in still in school, or our children have moved on to have families of their own. And the whole bunch of us are trying to hold on to our homes and jobs, maybe getting the little woman to do some sewing down at the local sweatshop, and having junior kick in his tips from Applebee's. [more]

Fanning the Godspark

Brian Wright — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:36:17 GMT

Wafting the warm breezes of liberty over the kindling of a new spiritual awakening

Speaking on "the level of effect," as carriers of the sacred truth of the way of the nonaggressor, we need to keep our eyes on the ball for every swing at the plate. Like Jesus, like Ghandi, like Tolle, those of us who choose to work and play on these 'fields of dreams'— where the simple humanity of a free world is at stake—need to stay at it. Although 'attitude and being' are the cause, we realize 'attitude and being' through their effects, and need to pursue the truth relentlessly, with a calm smile on our faces... [more]

Liberty Dollar: Game On!

Brian Wright — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:36:21 GMT

Feds step into trap; real currency to come?
Liberty Dollar founder, others, arrested

In my several mailboxes this morning came the underposted letter from Bernard von Nothaus, scrappy firebrand for alternative currency, founder of the the Liberty Dollar. As we've been reporting from the gitgo, the feds via the FBI confiscated $4 million worth of LD production equipment and product (precious-metal barter coins) back in November 2007. Of course, there was no legal basis for the seizure, as the LD is simply a precious metal coin never claiming legal-tender status or misrepresenting itself... [more]

Support your Local Libertarian Party

Brian Wright — Sun, 31 May 2009 05:32:44 GMT

Comes 'the Restoration,' they'll be 'guvmint'

Well, as I continue on my walk around the community center, I recall the obnoxious 'Clickit or Ticket' banner across the street from our meeting room. It appears to be posted in front of the Jackson Police Department. Our defiant 'Enough is Enough' guy has finally found a perfect message to lampoon. No doubt the seat belt enforcement zones are enough to drive your normal libertarian radical to drink, or at least to throw up his hands in disgust: 'Enough is definitely enough! Whose life is it, anyway?'... [more]

My Declaration of Independence, 2

Brian Wright — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:33:37 GMT

Drawing a line in the sand for liberty, part 2

As time goes by and our need to evolve becomes apparent, as sovereign individuals we must honestly assess the political institutions that lay claim upon our living energy and determine whether these claims rightfully apply. If not, we must decide—individually, peacefully, and voluntarily—whether to accommodate the political authority or to end the relationship... establishing a better system to satisfy our needs... " [more]

My.Declaration_of_Independence.Org

Brian Wright — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:35:11 GMT

Drawing a line in the sand for liberty, part 1

The precious words written by Thomas Jefferson still take my breath away, bringing chills from head to toe. To me, and to all my kindred souls in the freedom movement, what the Declaration of Independence captures is nothing less than the meaning of sentient life in the Cosmos. Yet as important as these elegant, stirring phrases are, the actions they led to are the object of art. The colonists did not limpwrist, "Oh, Crown Official, by the way, we've looked things over carefully and we're getting a raw deal, so, if it isn't too much trouble, please consider changing your policies so as not to work undue hardship... " [more]

Liberate Online Gambling, Part 2

Brian Wright — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:02:53 GMT

What the feds are doing is 'quite unbelievable'

"You know, reading through all the horror files of what the government is doing to men who haven't committed any crimes and aren't US citizens, I'm reminded of the so-called War on Terror. The modern US government has reverted to absolute monarchy... where the king's men exercise pure, unmitigated, arbitrary power over everyone." [more]

Legalize Online Gambling, Part 1

Brian Wright — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:09:38 GMT

Shall we march for the right to face the odds?

To my imagination, Atlantic City is a human carcass recently eviscerated by aliens who have deposited some kind of eerie multicolored, flashy, nuclear-powered floral arrangement where the heart used to be. Then, as all the extremities commence to rot in this mauled dead thing, the aliens turn the corpse slightly to face the ocean. And near the artificial, radioactve flowers is where the busses disgorge their masses of slot-machine-handle-pulling li'l ol' ladies and Craps-Roulette-Blackjack-playing working-stiff dreamers... [more]

Choosing Civility: Coffee Coaster Book Review

P.M. Forni — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:36:44 GMT

Ode to 'better angels of our nature'

When you boil down the fundamental quality required of us by the practice of civility, it's consciousness. Awareness, consciousness, however you want to name it. Totally fascinating, especially because of my reading of Eckhart Tolle and the commitment he encourages to embracing in our lives "the Now" of all that exists... [more]

Springtime and the Motor City

Brian Wright — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:41:18 GMT

Thoughts on the decline and revival of Detroit

This morning driving with Mom down to the Wayne State area again—the university is midtown and directly across Woodward Avenue from the DIA—the one book that rolls over and over again in my mind is Jane Jacob's Death and Life of Great American Cities. I remember her classic assertion: "The cities of America did not die, they were murdered... by the city planners."... [more]

Cracking the Code: Coffee Coaster Book Review

Peter Hendrickson — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:38:57 GMT

Morality and the Rule of Law

One of the stirringly unique aspects to Cracking the Code, is the way Mr. Hendrickson seamlessly weaves the ethical foundations of our political system into practical tools for holding our government and the FIT to the rule of law. This union of the moral and the practical promises to bring a virtually unquenchable flame of common-sense Constitutional liberty to the dying embers of what was once a glowing American republic. [more]

April 15: What would Jesus do?

Brian Wright — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:27:04 GMT

A look at the morality (and law) of compliance

"Never do anything against conscience, even if the state demands it." — Albert Einstein

I have a young friend from the Free State, and I asked him a couple of years ago whether he was paying his income taxes. He replied, "No, I won't support torture." Somehow his simple phrasing has stuck with me and become a shorthand for characterizing any refusal to give money to the state based on moral principle. "Torture by policy" is an extreme illustration of what is enabled through taxes and a fine reason to stop paying them... [more]

Rider Theory and Scratchy Coats

Brian Wright — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:38:56 GMT

Staying creative, "keepin' on keepin' on"

I wanted to start by suggesting that one shouldn't try to forcibly dictate exactly what one plans to do when you set off on the journey of life. My way, which is certainly not conventional by any means, is to set out in a certain direction that seems right—e.g. early moving to the Free State—and just let Nature take its course. As long as you keep moving, "keep riding," it normally works out. I've been right so far.... [more]

Who's Minding the Cookie Jar

Rose Wright — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:18:10 GMT

Dear Congress:

Taxpayers expect the same Congressional fury over the AIG bonuses applied as well to the executives of all other bailed-out institutions. According to last fall's C-Span testimony by Fannie Mae/Freddy Mac directors, their $700K+ bonuses were also contractual—ergo untouchable—regardless of performance or
merit. Fannie and Freddy are federal agencies. How, in any world that makes sense, are such contracts even conceivable?... [more]

Launch of the Deaggression Movement

Brian Wright — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:00:13 GMT

Letting Our Peace Flow: A modest baptism of the Deaggression Movement

And so it begins, at least my two cents worth of hopeful contribution to the general cause of freedom. I've been occupied for the past several weeks on these pages in the development of the Sacred Nonaggression Principle (and book of the same name). And I find now that the internal logic that has impelled me to "advance confidently in the direction of my dreams," as well as providing some literary juice, leads me to lay down the other shoe: ... [more]

Free State Project Liberty Forum 2009

Brian Wright — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:00:34 GMT

Live Free and Flourish, Winter 2009
FSP Liberty Forum underscores steady progress

And news it is, at least in the Live Free Before You Die crowd, the Free State Project minions now well established in New Hampshire and planning to make their stands here come hell or high water. Things can always go our way, too, even with the advent of the Obamanon... [more]

The Big-3 Real-American Stimulus Package of 2009

Brian Wright — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:50:21 GMT

Three programs for $3 trillion immediate and recurring benefit to the American people... and a bonus analysis on benefits for ending the Fed

In writing the columns on the Sacred Nonaggression Principle (SNaP), composing the book of the same name, and preparing my presentation on the SNaP to the 2009 Free State Liberty Forum, in Nashua, NH (3/7/9 @3:00 p.m.), I had this blinding flash of insight into the absolute perfect immediate solution to our deepening world economic crisis... [more]

May the SNaP Be with You, Part 2

Brian Wright — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:21:57 GMT

Making it so: SNaP strategy and first practical steps..

Stated for the record, my objective is to quickly and effectively spread and teach the Sacred Nonaggression Principle. I want to see the SNaP become the mother's milk of human civilization, its sine qua non, its political alpha and omega, its new social metaphysics. As I mention in the subtitle for the SNaP field manual, the advance book is particularly addressed to teachers and public servants... [more]

May the SNaP be With You, Part 1

Brian Wright — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:12:10 GMT

Shouting it from the rafters and taking it to the streets...

In the former installments we've proceeded from the general uneasiness that freedom-sensitive people feel, to who we (and they) are, to the spiritual calling toward liberty that comes from our kindergarten lessons, finally to the "sacred argument" that insofar as the nonaggression principle goes... there is none higher. In this chapter we come to the fueling of a grass roots movement dedicated to that proposition... [more]

Nonaggression 101: An analysis

Brian Wright — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:20:52 GMT

Arguments for the simple nonaggression principle, some counterarguments, resolution

The progress of humanity bears a direct relationship with the decline of aggression in society. As humans developed self-awareness and mindfulness, as they discarded Jealous Gods—who, let's face it, were contrived in the image of witch doctors having serious emotional issues of their own—and superstitions in general, their natural reason further spread the ideals of civility, tolerance, individualism, creativity, and the nonaggression principle...liberty is our common spiritual goal and destiny... [more]

Spiritual Kindergarten

Brian Wright — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:10:48 GMT

Foundation of strategy to implement the Sacred Nonaggression Principle (SNaP)

To me the little boy is my five-year-old kid who knows that the answer to our problems lies in what he and his peers are taught in kindergarten: don't hit people, don't steal their stuff, and keep your promises. And that is especially true if you work for the government, since the purpose of government is to protect people from aggression. The question is how does the universal kindergarten lesson become a tool for spiritual growth, what makes the nonaggression principle sacred.... [more]